


Friendship Is a Many Splendored Thing

by MadnessJones



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Drama, Friendship, Future, Gangreen Gang - Freeform, Gen, PPG - Freeform, Rowdyruff, Townsville, ggg, online
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:49:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21841699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadnessJones/pseuds/MadnessJones
Summary: Blossom finds that her intellect and super powers isolate her from everyone else, whether it be in school or in Townsville. She soon finds a kindred spirit in an online friend, but he turns out to be one of the bad guys she fights on a regular basis. Can their newfound friendship survive their differing lifestyles, or is she simply being naive? No pairings.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	1. Find Yourself, Lose Yourself

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to add this fanfic to my archives because I really enjoyed writing it and feel it’s one of my deeper stories. I won’t call it my absolute best, but I will say it’s one where I put a lot of myself into it. I love working with these characters and this setting. This story takes place when the girls are ages 8-9. Hope you guys enjoy reading this little tale, and I would love to hear comments from you :)

Chapter 1

Find Yourself, Lose Yourself

The city of Townsville. A city full of goodwill and hope for the future. A city full of dreamers and bright shining minds, and one place for those shining minds to flourish and grow is Golden Brooks Middle School.

It was a cloudy morning as the Powerpuff Girls got ready to face another day at school. Bubbles brushed her blonde pigtails and checked her phone for the millionth time to see if any of her numerous friends had called. Buttercup slid her arm over the dresser and let whatever contents were up there fall into her backpack so she could save time. She had basketball practice that day as well as needing to touch base with Mitch about that party he was throwing next weekend. Blossom had trouble choosing between several pink dresses (all identical and neatly pressed) and finally decided to go with the pink one (as opposed to the pink one).

Blossom then meticulously packed each and every item she would need for school in her backpack and checked the mirror to make sure her hair and bow were perfect. They were, so she waited for her sisters to finish getting ready.

"Oh, girls!" The professor hollered up the stairs, "Breakfast is ready!"

"Alright!" Buttercup zipped away in a streak of green light to be the first one to the table.

Bubbles and Blossom followed Buttercup at a slightly slower pace. They knew there would be enough left for them.

Everyone sat at the table and ate their eggs and bacon with orange juice. The professor read the news on his tablet and smoked his pipe while Bubbles and Buttercup raced to see who could eat the fastest and Blossom sat back and watched. Blossom found herself doing that a lot lately; sitting back, watching, noting the behavior of those around her...

The Powerpuff Girls were only 8 years old, but since they started school practically as soon as they were born they were already in middle school. Blossom couldn't help but notice the differences between the Powerpuffs and normal people now. While mentally the girls had no problem keeping up with their peers, physically was a completely different story. The girls hadn't aged at all, and Blossom often wondered if they ever would. After all, they were the first people ever created using Chemical X, so no one really knew how that would affect the aging process or even their life spans. Thoughts of her uncertain mortality often troubled Blossom.

After finishing their breakfast, the girls flew out the open window and toward the direction of the school. Buttercup texted Elmer to see if he had the answers to yesterday's homework so she could quickly scribble the answers before the bell rang. Blossom used to hate it when Buttercup cheated, but now more than anger she just felt puzzlement.

How were Buttercup and Bubbles still so far behind? Blossom mostly went to school because she was a kid and it was the law that she had to get a proper education, but she already knew most of what they taught by now. She didn't even study science and math anymore since it was all locked in her brain. Sometimes she wondered how the rest of her class was so far behind.

The girls made it to school on time like always. Despite their differing attitudes the Powerpuff Girls were still good kids that did their best to obey the rules; even if Buttercup complained the entire time. Bubbles immediately gravitated to a group of her friends by an open locker and Buttercup started talking to her best friend Mitch. Blossom went to first period social studies and sat down with her hands neatly folded in front of her. She was the only one in the room. Not even the teacher was there yet. It was typical for Blossom to arrive first.

For some reason it really struck Blossom today how lonely she was as she stared out the window at the cloudy sky. It wasn't going to rain or anything, but it was still an overcast day.

There were times like this when Blossom would feel isolated due to her routine and her intellect. The only time she could have an intelligent conversation was when she was helping the professor with a project, but she couldn't tell anyone her dad was her best friend. That was lame.

The bell rang, and Blossom was relieved that the other kids and the teacher were filing in. She didn't want to be alone today for some reason, but she didn't know why this feeling was coming upon her now. She was alone every morning, and she was the only gifted kid in school every morning. Nothing had changed, but for some reason today her feelings about this situation had changed.

* * *

Nothing too exciting happened in school for the first few classes, but then Blossom went to fifth period English & Literature, and she got a homework assignment that felt like one of the biggest coincidences of the year.

"Class, over the weekend I'm going to give you a creative writing assignment," The teacher intoned, and a couple troublemaking kids in the back groaned, "Now now, this isn't a boring assignment at all. Over the weekend I want you to write about how you feel when you're alone. It can be any kind of writing. A poem, a short story, an essay, or whatever else your mind conjures up. It can be happy, sad, angsty, thought provoking, etc."

Normally Blossom wasn't a fan of creative writing work. Oh sure, she could do it somewhat, but she didn't much care for artistic stuff. That was more Bubbles' department. This, however, felt different. Blossom was feeling lonely lately, and she did feel the need to express herself, and just like all of life's problems the answer was homework.

...

After school that day Blossom sat at her desk and tried to write something brilliant for her creative writing class. She knew she felt lonely, and she knew how she felt about it, but for some reason she had trouble getting her thoughts down in writing.

"Hm..." Blossom stared at the computer screen and the blinking cursor in hopes of inspiration hitting her like it did writers in the movies, "Okay then..."

She tried typing out her feelings, but it didn't have the flare she was looking for in her work.

_I Feel Lonely, By Blossom. Today I felt bored and lonely as I sat at my desk at school. I waited for 2.3 minutes for the rest of the class to show up. Again. Loneliness is like a...a..._

"Okay, what is loneliness like?" Blossom asked herself as she stared at her uninspired words, "Loneliness is like a...shoe! That has no partner. Because you need two shoes. Okay, that's not good. At all."

Blossom growled in frustration and lightly bonked her head against the keyboard. She wondered if she could call it modern art if she just banged her head against the keyboard repeatedly and turned in whatever letters appeared on the screen.

 _No, that's not good. That's what Buttercup would do. Think Blossom, think_!

Then she typed again, but the next so-called poem was even worse than the last. She needed to do some research, so she logged into a website where artists submitted their poetry and other original writing content. She hoped that reading a few of these poems would inspire her to stop being lousy.

She narrowed it down to poetry and then typed in the word _lonely_. There were thousands of results and Blossom didn't know which one to pick, but then she saw one poem that had over 2,000 likes that was from a user in Townsville. Maybe this should be where she starts. Blossom clicked on the poem and immediately noticed that it didn't rhyme.

"Wow, way to be a baby about this. Not all poems rhyme, you know that," Blossom chastised herself before continuing to read the poem in its entirety.

_Lonely But Not Alone_

_By WildThing-HeartStrings_

_The thoughts of my mind are a water fountain that I have shattered and stifled with a cork._

_The silence welcomes those around me, and banishes my thoughts into a dark spacious cavern with no escape or return._

_If I were to unplug the fountain and allow the sparkling ideas to flow, I would be cast up into the abyss, for my abyss is above me in my wretched state. Nothing is below._

_My eyes are bloodshot and worn with the reality of the fetid tides of the world around me._

_I am surrounded, yet I am alone._

_See the diamonds glistening on the ground, only to pick one up and be cut to the bone by the broken glass that was only an illusion to my hungry soul._

_I hunger for beauty, I lust for peace within my rotting heart. The fountains of my heart are full of music, laughter, and profound thoughts that I dare not speak lest I be condemned to the damnation of isolation._

_I am surrounded, yet I am alone._

_Hear the mocking laughter; the crowd to which I have melded. See the reflection of injustice in the eyes of a helpless widow. Up, up, even down is too good for me._

_Why must my mouth be silent? Why must my very language be impropriety? If I were to speak my peace I would be shut out forever by the harpies of injustice._

_What is a friend? What is an enemy? Are these not merely two forms of the same desire, that of attention?_

_Hear me from the bottom of my well! Seek my fountain, oh merciful dainty ears of beauty! Hear my plaintive cry as I fall into the pit of despair!_

_I am surrounded, yet I am alone._

Whether the poem was professionally written or not was up for debate, but it struck a chord with Blossom. This poet had captured the feeling of not actually being separated from society and yet feeling like you have no place within it at the same time. That was how Blossom was feeling. Someone actually understood.

Part of her wanted to try to write her assignment now, but another part wanted to know more. She wanted to know how to put her feelings down in a way that others could understand and appreciate. She decided to send a message to WildThing-HeartStrings to see if this person would actually respond.

Blossom checked her messages off and on for about an hour before deciding that the poet probably wouldn't reply that evening. She decided to take a break from her homework and grab some dinner.

After dinner and dishes Blossom went upstairs to prepare for bed. She absentmindedly checked her messages again on her phone and noticed that she had a new message from the poetry website. The poet had responded!

Dear Guest,

 _Oops_ , Blossom thought. _I forgot to make an account..._

Dear Guest,

I am so pleased that you found my poem to be inspiring to you. I do so love it when my work can make a difference for someone else. I mostly just write poetry to relieve stress and vent my frustration in a constructive way. You had asked about my writing process, and honestly I don't really have one. When I'm feeling down and have access to the computer I just sit down and type whatever's on my mind. Tell me friend, what is on your mind? Perhaps telling someone will inspire you to write a poem you can be proud of.

Sincerely,

Wild Thing

Blossom was happy she got a response, but it was admittedly less than helpful. Just sit down and write? She already tried that! Still, this person agreed to help her with her problem, so maybe they could still help, assuming their next bit of advice wasn't just something corny like 'believe in yourself' or 'don't give up'.

Blossom made an account on the poetry site, opened a direct chat, and invited Wild Thing to join her.

...

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello, you must be Guest :P

EverythingNice98: Yeah, that was me. I just can't get the hang of writing down my feelings in a way that doesn't sound redundant. Any advice?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Don't use the same words unless you have to. Let's say you feel sad. The first time you could say _sad_ , but the second time try a different word like _melancholy, rueful,_ or _morose_. There are many shades of sadness, just as there are many shades of all sorts of different emotions. Get it?

EverythingNice98: I think so.

WildThing-HeartStrings: So then, tell me how you feel...

EverythingNice98: I feel like no one understands me when I speak. Like everything I say flys right over their heads!

WildThing-HeartStrings: I totally get that. The only ones that seem to understand me when I talk are my friends, and even then they don't _really_ get it.

EverythingNice98: Exactly! My dad is the only one that understands how it feels to be the nerd in the group. Not even homework makes me feel accomplished anymore. I feel like I'm wasting my time.

WildThing-HeartStrings: You are.

EverythingNice98: What!? What are you talking about?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I mean your intellect doesn't come from a lesson plan or a boring teacher droning on and on. Your personality and your will to learn comes from inside of you. Now, you wanna write a poem? Show me what you've got.

EverythingNice98: Well...okay. _The clouds were grey today. I felt like flying, but I thought it might not be such a good idea. How could I see where I'm going if the clouds are grey?_ You see Wild Thing? This is terrible!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Admittedly it's unpolished, but I kind of like it. You take an absurd concept and give it an even more outlandish thought process, all while making it sound utterly mundane. Try to expand on that.

EverythingNice98: You liked it!? Are you crazy?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Of course I'm crazy. Couldn't you tell? Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Think of it this way, the word _unique_ sounds like the word _eunuch_. I always considered that this might not be an accident. After all, unique and creative individuals are cut off from the rest of society and become entities unto themselves, just like a eunuch.

EverythingNice98: Okay, where did THAT come from?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Exactly. Take your oddest most outlandish thoughts and give them life through your writing. You'll be surprised at what you come up with. Good luck with your homework, and I hope you find what you're looking for through your poetry. I must abscond now, but I do hope to see your words dancing across my screen by the morrow. Farewell...

EverythingNice98: Bye :)

...

Blossom logged off and sighed, wondering if Wild Thing was right about just writing whatever crazy thing came into her mind. She opened her document again, everything already deleted because it stunk. She took a deep breath, and tried to think of what was on her mind. She thought of the homophone Wild Thing spoke about, and suddenly an idea came to her.

_The Herd That Heard_

_By Blossom Utonium_

_The words_ herd _and_ heard _sound the same, and in a way they serve to complement each other. For if someone is not heard, then their own herd cannot be found. Herd in this context refers to a large social grouping such as that of buffalo or cattle. In this case however the cattle refer to my fellow classmates, and I feel that I am not heard. I am lonely, because even when I speak, I am not heard. Therefore, I feel I have no herd, not anymore._

"It's still not good, but it's better," Blossom finally decided as she deleted the poem and turned off her computer.

Blossom heard Bubbles and Buttercup arguing over the TV remote and decided she would just sit in her room and read a book. A book on string theory seemed like the perfect engaging read before bedtime, and she went to bed hoping that the next day she would finally think of what she wanted to say...

* * *

Meanwhile, across Townsville in a condemned house sat five squatters that many in Townsville would recognize all too well as the Gangreen Gang. Most people didn't know the ruffians lived in this area, otherwise they likely would avoid walking the streets near the old worn down house.

A dim light from a retro Windows XP computer lit up the face of the man currently occupied with writing on the direct messaging board of a poetry website to a new friend that called herself EverythingNice98. School kids considered some of the dumbest little things problems, but the green man didn't mind sharing his wisdom with someone that was willing to listen.

"Hey Grubber, get off the computer! It's my turn!" Little Arturo shouted as he poked Grubber in the back of the head, "Come on, man! I wanna play pinball!"

"Pfft!" Grubber replied begrudgingly.

He typed a quick goodbye to his new friend and got up off the floor so Little Arturo could use the computer. With nothing better to do, Grubber checked up on the other gang members to see how they were faring.

Big Billy and Snake were playing cards, which seemed like a waste of time since Big Billy never won (without someone letting him), and Ace was smoking by the broken back window. Overall it was a normal boring night.

Grubber, not knowing what else to do with himself, stood on his head and blew raspberries at the other gang members while swinging his legs back and forth. This earned a passive look from Snake and a questioning stare from Billy.

"Dah...What's Grubber doin'?" Big Billy asked in his slow derpy voice.

"Who caresss?" Snake hissed dismissively, "Who can ever figure out why Grubber doesss what he doesss?"

Grubber then let himself fall over and then while laying on his hunched back he blew a few more successive raspberries. The gang knew to interpret those noises as "Look at me! I'm a beached whale!"

Ace grumbled as he looked out at the starless cloudy night. He stomped out his cigarette on the ground and turned to look at the gang. Arturo's pinball game was loud and it was starting to get on the gang leader's nerves.

Ace loudly whistled and hollered "Listen up!", and immediately all sound stopped and every gang member was standing at attention awaiting Ace's command or announcement.

"That's better," Ace replied in satisfaction, "Yo Snake, how we fixed for food?"

"We ran out yesssterday," Snake replied nervously; knowing keeping track of the food was his job.

" _Terrific_ ," Ace replied sarcastically, "Who's got money?"

Everyone rummaged through their pockets to see what they could find. Ace pulled out a dollar, Snake pulled out three quarters and a button, Arturo pulled out his comb and a nickel, Grubber pulled out a hacky sack and a handful of dead earwigs, and Big Billy pulled out a used wad of gum and more pocket lint than anyone should ever have stuffed in their pockets.

"Okay then," Ace replied in an accepting tone, "Yous guys is lucky I just swiped a gun from some stiff a few days ago."

"Why do we needsss a gun?" Snake asked obliviously.

Ace smacked him in the face like he always did when Snake said something stupid, and Snake rubbed the sore spot on his large reptilian nose.

"We need a gun to rob Malph's, you idiot!" Ace shouted in exasperation, "Unless you like starvin' better?"

"No, no Accce! It'sss a great plan!" Snake quickly replied to avoid his boss's wrath.

With that matter settled, Ace led the group out of their flop house and they started sauntering over to the all-night convenience store to steal as much money and food as they could carry.

Grubber sometimes wondered if this lifestyle would ever end. He was 23 years old now, which wasn't all that old, but it still meant he had spent the past 12 years of his life as a member of the Gangreen Gang. Thinking back on stuff like that made him feel like the prime of his life was already behind him.

He remembered when the gang was something to be feared and loathed. They were young, there were no Powerpuff Girls, and they could do whatever they wanted. Now they had to be quicker, and their scores had to be smaller. It wasn't about having fun and picking on little kids anymore. Now there were rival gangs, supervillains, and superheroes. Now the scores they pulled were mostly for survival and nothing more. His abyss really was above him, because he had hit rock bottom years ago.


	2. Correspondence

Chapter 2

Correspondence

Over the weekend Blossom continued to write and rewrite her poem. She wanted it to be absolutely perfect. To be fair, she chronically wanted everything she did to be perfect. It bothered her when she couldn't live up to the 'perfect little girl' moniker she and her sisters had been bestowed at birth. Bubbles and Buttercup were the sweet one and the tough one respectively. Without her intellect and perfectionism, who was she?

It was Sunday night, and she had written one more poem. She didn't know if this one was any good or not, but it was as close as she could get. Wondering what others on the poetry website would think, she posted the poem and hoped it wasn't criticized by too many trolls. She didn't handle criticism well, but at least she was aware of her sensitivity in this regard.

_The X Factor_

_By EverythingNice98_

_If I were a letter I would be the letter X. X is a very special letter that can denote many things, but unfortunately it is mostly discarded in favor of other letters. Z, SH, and even CKS can all perform the job of X and do not intimidate people nearly as much._

_When I am lonely I feel like the letter X. X marks the spot of treasure, X can replace someone's name; their very identity. X also denotes danger, and cautions others to not enter or touch. X warns people away, and therefore X is alone. I too am alone. I am an X. Chemical X._

Blossom posted the poem and left to watch TV with her sisters. It was Bubbles' turn to pick the channel, and she chose some telenovela about a love triangle and a plot to overthrow a rich family or something like that. Blossom didn't fully understand Spanish, so she only caught every few words. Buttercup complained because she didn't understand anything at all, and after a few minutes she threw up her hands and left to play video games instead.

After watching the show for about 20 minutes Blossom went back upstairs to her computer to see if anyone had reviewed her poem. She only had one review, and it was from a familiar username...

WildThing-HeartStrings: Not a bad first attempt, E.N., unfortunately I would call it more of an analysis than a poem. That's not a bad thing though. If analyzing your feelings and writing them down in a left-minded way is how you deal with them best then I say go for it. I hope to see more work from you, as I admire your unique take on life and the alphabet :P

Blossom was a little discouraged that her poem wasn't actually seen as a poem, but she did like the fact that the idea itself wasn't bad or misunderstood. Her teacher said she could write anything, so maybe be she would turn in her work as an essay. She would need to make it longer for that, but at least now she wasn't working from scratch. Yes, this could work.

Blossom then opened up the direct chat section and invited Wild Thing to join her once again. It only took a few seconds before he showed up.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Hello E.N., you did great tonight :)

EverythingNice98: Thanks, Wild Thing. I think I'll rewrite it as an essay for my school assignment.

WildThing-HeartStrings: That sounds jolly good. I'll only be able to talk for a few more moments. My friends and I have plans tonight.

EverythingNice98: Yeah, my sister wants me to help her with her math homework...again. It's not going to help her though. She never remembers anything I say.

WildThing-HeartStrings: You have a sister? I always wanted a sister when I was little. When I was a lad I thought girls got free candy at the convenience store just for showing up. Turns out I misunderstood something my dad said about a neighbor lady and old Mr. Whitman. Oh well, it still might've been nice to have a sister. So, do you get along well with your sister?

EverythingNice98: _Sisters_ , actually. I have two. One is a knucklehead and now it's coming back to haunt her since we have a big math test coming up next week. My other sister isn't that stupid, but she spends way too much time with her friends and not enough time studying. They're not even studying now! One's playing Skull Crusher 4 and the other one's watching a No Mas Tiernidad marathon. It's so frustrating sometimes.

WildThing-HeartStrings: My friend loves that show, but he claims he watches it ironically. Frankly I think it's utter trite.

EverythingNice98: You and your friend speak Spanish?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I don't, but the TV has closed captions. My friend is from Mexico but has lived in this country since he was little...well, younger. You'd think someone who is bilingual would be more intelligent, and maybe if he didn't spend so much time primping and combing his hair in front of the broken mirror in the bathroom he would be.

EverythingNice98: How did your friend's mirror break?

WildThing-HeartStrings: I walked in front of it, smiled, and it broke. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: Oh, brother! Well, at least you aren't vain. ;)

WildThing-HeartStrings: Truth be told, it was broken when we got here. I share a house with 4 other guys, and the place is a wreck. On the bright side though, it smells just like mothballs. I like the smell of mothballs. It reminds me of the smell of rat poison.

EverythingNice98: Dude, you are so weird! *gags*

WildThing-HeartStrings: I know, but absurdity keeps life interesting. I'll bet you have all sorts of fascinatingly weird habits :P

EverythingNice98: Not really, though weird things do happen to me a lot. One time I got a haircut that left me nearly bald, and I didn't ever want to come out of my room again, but as it turned out being able to laugh at myself made the situation so much better.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Good show, E.N.! I laugh at myself all the time, but then again I'm hilarious. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! So much for not being vain! XD

WildThing-HeartStrings: Oh dear, my companions require my attention now. I must bid you adieu, but I have truly enjoyed our time together. Do send me an invite to speak again, E.N.

EverythingNice98: I will. Bye :)

* * *

Grubber logged off the poetry website's chat feature and ran over to where Ace had called them. Friday's heist had been little more than robbing a pizza joint of some of their leftover pizzas, and now that food was gone. Big Billy could really put it away. Now they needed more, and it was time to go out for another job.

Ace grabbed his gun and tucked it into his vest. He couldn't actually shoot a gun to save his life and his aim was terrible, but a gun made for a better intimidation weapon than the puny pocket knife he had been using before. Well, truth be told the intimidation came from a cross between the pocket knife and Big Billy being at Ace's command. No one messed with Big Billy except the Powerpuff Girls.

"Alright boys, we're hittin' the new Supermart location tonight," Ace announced.

"B-But, that place isss huge!" Snake replied worriedly, "We could get lossst!"

Ace punched Snake to shut him up and then looked around to see if anyone else was going to protest his plan. No one spoke up, so Ace knew they would go along with whatever he said.

The guys followed Ace as he sauntered out of their hovel and into the enveloping shadows of the night. All they had to do was keep the cashiers and customers from bothering them while they took whatever they wanted and they would be just fine. Ace patted the pocket where his gun was just to be sure it was still there, Snake walked beside his leader like a good little yes-man, Arturo and Grubber raced to see who could catch up to the first two guys, and Big Billy brought up the rear. Even with the Powerpuff Girls in Townsville, the gang still cut an intimidating figure.

* * *

The girls were just finishing dinner and getting ready for their end-of-day activities. Blossom was chowing down on her favorite candy as she finished up her essay, Bubbles was cuddling with her favorite stuffed animals in her big stuffed animal pile near the bed, and Buttercup was brushing her hair before heading out to meet her friends at Mitch's house.

Their peaceful evening was interrupted by a call on the Powerpuff Hotline. Blossom sighed and saved her progress on the computer before answering the phone.

"Yeah? What is it, Mayor?" Blossom asked in her official sounding tone of voice, "The Gangreen Gang is robbing the Supermart? We're on our way!"

Buttercup stopped in her tracks and Bubbles looked up at Blossom while still holding a stuffed goat toy.

"Girls, the Gangreen Gang is at it again. Come on!" Blossom shouted before flying out the window; her sisters in tow.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Supermart, three helpless cashiers were tied up at their registers while the Gangreen Gang harassed customers and took whatever they wanted. Ace watched while his gang took food off of store shelves, scared people, shoplifted valuables, and messed around. It was little moments like this that the gang lived for, because frankly they didn't have much else going for them.

Snake scarfed down a handful of cookies from a box before spitting them out and sticking out his forked tongue in disgust.

" _Yuck_! Thessse cookies ssstink!" Snake exclaimed as he threw the box down, "Anyone know where the good ssstuff isss?"

"Pfft!" Grubber replied as he pointed to the left.

"Good idea. The bakery department," Snake smiled wickedly as he and Grubber walked past a terrified mother and her infant.

Lil' Arturo was in the clothing department trying on the most ridiculous outfits he could find and laughing at every result in the mirror. He put on some fake fangs and a black cape before jumping out and scaring Big Billy.

" _Aah_! A monster!" Billy shouted, but then laughed when he saw it was just Arturo.

"Hey, look at me Billy! I'm Mojo Jojo!" Lil' Arturo shouted gleefully as he ran around flapping the cape up and down, "Look, now I'm a bat! Oh, oh, oh!" Arturo then put on a pair of sunglasses to complete the ensemble, "Now I'm Ace!"

"Not funny!" Ace hollered from the front of the store.

"Okay, how'd he know I did that?" Arturo asked in bafflement as he took off the goofy getup.

"Not so fast, Gangreen Gang!" The Powerpuff Girls suddenly shouted; ruining the nefarious gang's plans (if you can call this a plan).

"Powerpuff Girls!" Ace exclaimed in fright, "Y-You got it all wrong! We were just, uh...RUN!"

The gang split up and made a run for it with whatever stolen food and items they could carry. The girls split up to apprehend the green thugs.

Buttercup went after Snake and Grubber. Snake was wheeling a shopping cart full of snacks, and Grubber was riding in the shopping cart. Buttercup caught up to them in no time and beat the stuffing out of both of them, leaving them in a barely conscious pile just outside the door.

Bubbles gave chase to Big Billy and Lil' Arturo. Arturo was the fastest, so Bubbles chased him around and around the store. Her blue light trail made a perfect circle around the store's aisles as she tried to catch Arturo. Big Billy used that moment to grab some snacks in his shirt and sneak away; a rare brilliant moment for the large gang enforcer.

Bubbles finally got smart and turned around so that she could intercept Lil' Arturo. Arturo was so bent on running away that he didn't even see Bubbles in front of him until he ran straight into her fist! Arturo wobbled in a daze before passing out after only one punch, and Bubbles added him to the pile of Gangreen Gang that Buttercup had started outside.

Blossom, meanwhile, went after Ace. Ace knew there was no way he could fight the pink Powerpuff in a fair fight, so he decided he wasn't going to play fair. He ducked in the toy department and Blossom turned into the aisle to catch up with him, only to see that the gang leader was holding a gun to a little boy's head!

"Back off Powerpuff, or the kid eats it!" Ace growled as he shoved the gun closer to the frightened boy's temple.

"Help me!" The kid cried out in terror.

Blossom used her X-Ray vision to see if Ace was bluffing. Sure enough, there was a full round of ammunition in the weapon, so Ace could do a lot of damage if he so chose.

"Now, back up nice and easy like," Ace instructed as he walked toward her with the hostage, "Once my boys and I are safely away from the store I'll let the kid go. You try anythin' however, and I'll pump him full of lead."

"Those rounds aren't actually made of lead," Blossom pointed out quickly.

"Shaddup," Ace replied flatly; unamused.

Blossom didn't want the child to get hurt, especially over an offense that compared to the likes of Mojo Jojo, Him, and Princess Morbucks seemed relatively minor. She floated away from Ace and the boy, and Ace continued to walk away with the child. The other Powerpuffs saw what was happening and couldn't believe their eyes.

"How do we get that boy back?" Bubbles asked in concern.

"Yeah, and since when did Ace start carrying a gun?" Buttercup asked in confusion, "We gotta do something!"

"What _can_ we do, girls? We can't risk the lives of these people," Blossom pointed out, "We have to let them go."

Outside, Big Billy had taken a shopping cart and loaded it with snacks and the other Gangreen Gang members. Arturo was starting to wake up, and Grubber put a box of popsicles on Arturo's head to keep him from feeling the full impact. Big Billy waited for Ace, and a few minutes later Ace came out of the store holding a small boy in one hand and his pistol in the other.

"What happened, Accce?" Snake asked.

"Figured out the Powerpuffs' weakness," Ace replied smugly, "Come on boys, we'll ditch this kid in the park or somethin'."

"But my mommy's still in there!" The boy protested.

"And that means _what_ to me?" Ace asked with a sadistic smile, and when the boy didn't reply Ace simply said, "Thought so."

The gang left the kid by a bus stop before walking home with their cart full of goodies. It wasn't a great haul, but it would last them for a few days. The Gangreen Gang never seemed to think ahead longer than a few days at a time, and tonight was no exception.


	3. Role Models

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll admit, the fight scene is pretty short. I wanted to have some of the fast paced action PPG was known for. That being said, the rest of the chapter came out pretty well, focusing more on the introspective and day to day side of things. Hope you guys are enjoying this story so far :)

Chapter 3

Role Models

The poetry assignment came and went. Blossom got a B- for her essay, which was a lot lower than she was used to getting but higher than she thought her crummy dissertation would get. She knew she still wasn't getting into the spirit of her creative writing homework however, so she continued to visit the website where she could chat with Wild Thing and learn more about heartfelt writing.

With each new assignment he helped her with her grades improved, but more than that she felt that she had a friend she could share her deepest feelings with that wouldn't judge her for her actions. With Wild Thing she didn't have to be perfect little Blossom the leader of the Powerpuff Girls. With Wild Thing she could just be herself and let off the steam from her day.

Tonight as the two conversed she was telling him about yet another homework assignment she had for her English and Literature class, but for once she wasn't stressed about what to write, because this time she knew just what she wanted to say.

...

WildThing-HeartStrings: You have to write about role models? That sounds kind of juvenile. I thought you said you were in middle school.

EverythingNice98: My classmates are 12 and 13 years old. Trust me, they _are_ juvenile.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Pfft! That's funny! Then again, maybe juvenile isn't something you outgrow. My friends and I are pretty juvenile, and we're all old enough to drink without getting hassled by the cops :P

EverythingNice98: Maybe. I'm actually almost finished with my homework. I know exactly who to write about as the kind of person I want to grow up to be like.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Let me guess, your dad?

EverythingNice98: No. Not this time. You live in Townsville right? Do you know who Sarah Bellum is?

WildThing-HeartStrings: The Mayor's hot assistant? I've never met her personally but I'm aware of her work.

EverythingNice98: Well, when I'm an adult I want to be just like her. She's smart, she's beautiful, and she's humble. I've known her for a long time, and she's exactly the kind of woman I want to be like when I grow up :)

WildThing-HeartStrings: You mean you want to work for a man who in a good and just world wouldn't be fit to tie your shoes? Never getting the credit for all of your hard work? Yeah, way to live the dream. *rolls eyes*

EverythingNice98: Don't you see though? That's exactly what makes Ms. Bellum a good role model. She works hard to keep Townsville going, and she doesn't do it for the glory or the fame. She does it because it's the right thing to do and because she knows people need her. That's what I admire about her. Truth is, I have trouble with doing things just to do them. I've always needed validation when I do good, and I tend to brag about my own achievements too much. I'm trying to get better, but it isn't easy. Especially when it seems like I have to do _everything_ for my sisters or nothing will get done!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Pfft! I know the feeling. It's alright to want to be appreciated however. That's normal. Especially with two sister to compete with.

EverythingNice98: What about you? Who do you admire?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Me? Sweetie, I'm an adult. I don't need to admire anyone anymore.

EverythingNice98: I know, but what about when you were younger? Did you admire anyone when you were a kid?

WildThing-HeartStrings: Well...I suppose I did. One of my friends, I'll call him Shades, has always had a lot going for him. He's smart and he's tough, but also a lot of fun to be around. When I was a kid I admired how well he spoke to others. He could convince people to do anything and he made it look effortless. I'm not like that. When I try to talk to people it seems like all that comes out is air and spittle. I've always been a weird awkward person, but Shades isn't, and I suppose I admired him for that.

EverythingNice98: I've heard that public speaking is the most common phobia. I've never had that problem, though if I have to give a speech I practice until I memorize it because I don't want to look stupid.

WildThing-HeartStrings: I always look stupid. I'm not worried about that anymore. What I hate though is how few people understand me when I try to talk to them. That's why my friends are so important to me, because they do understand me. I consider you my friend too, and I want you to know I treasure our brief time together. I'm sure you'll get an A+ on your homework :)

EverythingNice98: Aww, thanks! Uh oh, I gotta go now. See ya :)

WildThing-HeartStrings: Goodbye, E.N. :P

...

Blossom got off the computer when she heard the Powerpuff Hotline beeping at her again. It seemed like juggling saving Townsville with their normal lives was getting harder and harder for Blossom. Bubbles and Buttercup felt it too, but it seemed like it didn't bother them as much. Bubbles spent less time fighting crime than she used to, and Buttercup spent less time doing anything else. Each one seemed to be making their choice as they aged, but Blossom was pulled between two worlds.

"Yes Mayor, what is it?" Blossom asked hurriedly after answering the phone, "An alien invasion is approaching the earth? We're on it, Mayor!"

Blossom then hung up and ran downstairs to get the others.

"Girls, there are aliens invading Townsville!" Blossom announced, "We've gotta stop them!"

"It better not be those stupid broccoli people again," Buttercup grumbled as she saved her game before getting off the couch.

"Do we _have_ to?" Bubbles whined as she put away her game controller.

"Yes, we have to," Blossom replied firmly with her arms crossed over her chest, "Now let's move out!"

They put on their space suits so they would be ready for their trek into the stars. The girls then flew out the window, shattering the glass because the window was closed. The professor heard the window break and came out of his lab with a broom and dustpan; used to such accidents by this point.

The girls flew up into the sky and after a few seconds of searching with their super-vision saw a fleet of flying saucers heading straight for the earth. Those ships had some really big laser guns attached to them, so obviously the aliens were up to no good. The girls flew up into space and immediately the ships started firing on them.

"Puny earth creatures!" The lead ship taunted them over a special space speaker, "Prepare for the takeover and enslavement of your pathetic peoples! Mwahaha!"

"Oh, brother. That is so lame," Buttercup commented; unamused.

The ship fired its lasers, and the girls turned black from being singed by the heat. They shook off the ash and glared back at the rogue vessel. The lead ship then summoned the other two ships accompanying it, and they fired torpedoes at the girls, who grabbed the projectiles and threw them into the sun.

"Attack pattern Alpha Phi Frozen, go!" Blossom ordered.

Buttercup and Bubbles started attacking the three flying saucers with their laser vision, which seemed to do very little damage to the hulls of the advanced spacecraft. They knew this wouldn't be enough, which was fine, because all they needed to do was get it good and hot. Once the molecules of the ships were more pliable, Blossom used her ice breath to shatter the hulls to pieces; leaving only a few tiny aliens holding onto steering wheels and sitting in detached seats blinking in confusion.

The Powerpuff then beat the daylights out of the aliens before punching them away from the earth and then flying back home to a hero's welcome. It was just another typical day being saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls.

* * *

Grubber went out for a walk by himself when it got dark enough to hide from the fearful eyes of the citizens of Townsville. He would often get up in the night when the gang was sleeping and walk until he got tired again, and tonight was no exception. Nobody ever questioned where he went, mostly because nobody cared.

Grubber walked until he found himself in a part of town that had been evacuated earlier that day when a giant lobster thing attacked. He walked over rubble and down roads with abandoned buildings that were nearly as tall as skyscrapers. It was a common sight in Townsville, but most people didn't walk through the wreckage like Grubber did. He mostly liked to scavenge for leftovers.

He went into a building that was partially gone to see what he could find. He saw that a key was still in the front door, but the door was mostly off its hinges. It was a surreal sight, and he vaguely wondered if the residents of this place had good enough insurance to start over. If they lived in Townsville then the answer was probably yes. It was like living in a hurricane zone that never went out of season. Nights like this Grubber was glad he didn't have a permanent residence since it meant there was nothing to get attached to.

As he stepped over broken furniture and rubble with a grace befitting a man that grew up living in a junkyard he saw a Bubbles doll among the wreckage. He picked it up and pulled the string, and it said "Let's be friends!". Ironic that the girls had destroyed the lobster that had destroyed this family dwelling in the first place. Grubber shrugged and threw the doll away, giving no thought to whatever kids or parents might've lived in this decimated house.

After a few minutes of silently going through debris and pocketing anything shiny or of value Grubber heard a car sputtering on the streets and coming to a stop as the engine gave out. He shook his head in bemusement, wondering what kind of idiot would drive through this part of town.

"No, no, no..." He heard a soft spoken woman's voice mutter as the sound of heels clacking on the pavement echoed through the night, "Don't die on me now. I can't believe this road is still closed. How am I supposed to get home now?"

Grubber continued going about his business for a few more minutes. He normally didn't concern himself with other people unless he and his gang wanted to victimize them for whatever reason. After his chat with E.N., however, he was starting to think about what that young girl had said to him. She had said a good role model does the right thing, even if they aren't appreciated for it. He was trying to be a role model to his new online friend, wasn't he? Would it kill him to do something nice just once in his life?

Wondering where these feelings were coming from but helpless to stop them, Grubber exited the building and went over to see if he could help the motorist. She was sitting in the driver's seat with her legs hanging out the open door. Her face was in her hands and she was crying. Grubber almost turned back, almost walked away, but finally he shook his head and shambled over to see if this motorist would accept his help.

"Pfft!" Grubber blew a raspberry to get her attention, and she removed her hands from her face to look at him.

Admittedly, Grubber couldn't see her face very well. It was mostly covered up in matted red hair, and she was quite tall once she stood up. Quite shapely too. He would've blushed if she hadn't immediately backed away from him and ran to the other side of her car in panic. Typical. They do this every time.

"Pfft!" Grubber called out as he ran after her; trying to tell her he was there to help.

"Stay away from me!" The woman commanded as she scooted further away from the Gangreen Gang member, "I mean it! I'll call the police!"

Grubber didn't have time for this. He knew trying to tell her anything was going to be a waste of time, so instead he simply popped the hood of the car and started looking around.

"What are you doing?" The woman asked suspiciously; still barely avoiding panicking, "What are you doing to my car?"

"Pffpfft!" Grubber replied, though he knew she wouldn't understand him.

He saw that the problem was in the transmission. It would be tough to fix, but Grubber knew a thing or two about cars from all the times the gang had stripped old junk cars to resell their parts for scrap metal. He looked back at the house he just looted, and remembered that he saw some things he could use to jury rig this old clunker into working again, at least for a little while.

"Are...Are you trying to help me?" The woman asked apprehensively.

Grubber nodded, his bulging eyes and protruding tongue wagging with the motion.

"Oh, well, thank you then," The woman replied awkwardly, "Can you fix it?"

Grubber gave her the okay sign with his hand, and while it was hard to tell without seeing her face he got the impression she was smiling. He then ran back into the house to try to find the tools and parts he would need.

The woman, Ms. Bellum, stood beside her car and waited anxiously. She looked around the area several times to make sure no one else was there. She knew the Gangreen Gang tended to travel in a pack most of the time, so she had a hard time believing Grubber was there alone.

She looked up and saw streaks of light going across the sky. It looked like a meteor shower, but Ms. Bellum already knew about the alien invasion and therefore assumed it was the wreckage plummeting to earth. Her guess was confirmed when she saw three streaks of blue, green, and pink light zooming across the night sky. That would be the Powerpuff Girls returning victorious, and the sound of cheers in the distance only confirmed that theory. She wished she could be there to congratulate them too.

Grubber returned with a plastic bag full of mishmash parts and items. Ms. Bellum was still a little frightened of the notorious gang banger, but he didn't seem to want to harm her at the moment. He tinkered around in her car and she silently hoped that he wasn't planting a bomb or something. She knew that wasn't typically the gang's style, but she was also aware that as they grew older their crimes became more severe. Ace had started carrying a gun and taking hostages during their crime sprees now, and it scared Ms. Bellum to think that the Gangreen Gang could escalate to murder at the slightest provocation.

"Pfft!" Grubber blew a raspberry and pointed to the driver's side, indicating he wanted her to try to start the car.

Ms. Bellum got inside and Grubber slammed the hood down and stepped aside just in case this worked. She turned the key and the car sputtered. She had to turn it three more times before the car started in earnest. She sighed in relief and Grubber waved goodbye. She rolled down the window, and Grubber walked closer to her; slightly confused that she wanted to talk.

"Thank you for helping me," Ms. Bellum said gratefully, "I'm going to have to find a new route home for the next few weeks, but this would have been so much worse if you hadn't been here to fix my car. Here."

Grubber was surprised when the lady handed him a fifty dollar bill. Normally he had to steal in order to get that kind of cash, and he didn't quite know what to think as he stared down at the money. Before he could thank her or attempt to return the money the car sped off and she was gone.

Grubber looked down at the bill again, and a smile worked its way across his deformed face. Malph's was probably still open. He could buy a slushie and maybe some chips before bed. Maybe his friend E.N. was onto something with this whole doing good business.


	4. Human Endeavor

Chapter 4

Human Endeavor

Blossom had just finished reading Wild Thing's latest poem submitted to the website, and she couldn't stop laughing at the goofy descriptions and strange scenarios displayed in the piece. It reminded her of an old Monty Python sketch.

EverythingNice98: I can't believe you actually wrote that! Especially the part about the old woman who doesn't listen to her grandson about making faces and then gets stuck with a face that looks like a belching frog's! LOL!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Yeah, that actually came from personal experience. My dad used to tell me not to make stupid faces at people, and then one day I bulged out my eyes and stuck out my tongue for an entire day. My tongue is still twice the size of what it should be. Pfft!

EverythingNice98: Tell me you're joking! O.O

WildThing-HeartStrings: I wish! It could be worse though. Everytime I worry about my appearance I just remember a poem my dear Grandmama told me. "As for beauty I am not a great star, there are other more handsome by far, but my face I don't mind it, because I'm behind it. 'Tis the folks in the front whom I jar." Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! That's a good one! So anyway Wild Thing, I've got this art project I'm working on for school. It's supposed to be a painting or drawing that demonstrate how well the students understand human anatomy. Problem is, it's supposed to be a self portrait, and...well...how do I put this? My anatomy isn't...normal. I'm missing a lot of things normal girls have, and I can't demonstrate my knowledge of human anatomy and draw myself accurately at the same time. I don't know what to do.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Draw a dog instead.

EverythingNice98: What!? How does _that_ help me get a good grade?

WildThing-HeartStrings: It doesn't. You're worried about how others will see you and your work because you look different. You cannot complete the assignment given in a way that will net you a good grade, so you might as well have fun with it and do something that will make you happy.

EverythingNice98: But you don't understand. I always, ALWAYS, get good grades. I can't just fail my art assignment on purpose.

WildThing-HeartStrings: It's either that or try your best and fail anyway. E.N., the point of school is to prepare you for life, yes? Well, in life sometimes there are situations you can't win. You can either lose with grace, let your failures eat away at you and rob you of your joy, or you can pull down your pants and slide on the ice.

EverythingNice98: I...I don't know…

WildThing-HeartStrings: You said it yourself, you always get good grades, right? So, this one failure will not change anything in your life, and you have the opportunity to make a memory that will last forever. I can't tell you exactly how to handle your project, that's up to you, but my suggestion would be to show your classroom just what EverythingNice98 is made of.

EverythingNice98: You know what? You're right. I'm tired of being perfect! I'm tired of trying to pretend I'm normal. I want to do something crazy, something that only I can do. Thank you Wild Thing. You really helped.

WildThing-HeartStrings: Uh oh. Am I going to get sued if you do something stupid? Pfft!

EverythingNice98: LOL! No. I'll let you know how it turns out. Bye!

WildThing-HeartStrings: Ciao, my young illustrious friend :P

* * *

Grubber logged off the site and as soon as he got up Snake took the computer to start reading an ebook he had downloaded a few days prior. E.N.'s messages got Grubber thinking about an activity that might be fun for the gang to do, so he went to Ace's room to tell him his suggestion. He only hoped their boss was in a good mood today.

"Pfft?" Grubber announced himself to Ace, who was applying acne cream to his face and looking in a broken wall mirror.

"Yeah Grubber, what do you want?" Ace asked disinterestedly.

"Pbbfft, pfft, pfffbbt pft," Grubber explained.

"Graffiti, huh? Sounds like somethin' to do," Ace shrugged before putting down the acne pad and putting his shades back on, "You grab the spray cans and I'll get the boys. Tonight we're paintin' the town green."

* * *

Blossom stared at her sketch paper in hopes of thinking of how best to draw what was sure to be the lowest graded yet most fun project of her life. She stared at her nub of an arm and sighed. Even though she tried to be positive like Wild Thing suggested, she still hated her body in that moment. She was tiny, she had no fingers or toes, her eyes and head were huge, and she hadn't grown an inch since the day she was born. It just didn't seem fair.

"Girls, time for dinner!" The professor hollered up the stairs, and Blossom put down her pencil so she could go eat.

The professor had made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner with grape juice, and already Buttercup was covered in spaghetti sauce. Bubbles was on her phone like usual, and Buttercup was too focused on her food, so that just left Blossom and the professor to talk.

"So Blossom, how was school today?" The professor asked casually.

Why did they always ask that? When adults don't know what to say to kids, the go-to subject was always 'How was school?'. Blossom normally didn't mind, but tonight she really didn't want to talk about it.

"Fine," She gave her noncommittal answer.

"That's good, honey," The professor glossed over the subject, not picking up on the tone Blossom used, "Work has been pretty good for me too, why just today-"

"No way!" Bubbles shouted into her phone, interrupting the professor's train of thought, "He didn't! Do you have pics? ... Well send them!"

Blossom grumbled under her breath. She loved her sisters, she really did, but they could sometimes get on her nerves; especially on days like this one. How did they not notice that their friends and everything was changing around them and they were being left behind in their perfect-little-girl bodies with their perfect-little-superhero jobs?

"Anyway Blossom, anything interesting happen at school today?" The professor tried to get a dinner conversation started again.

"I have an art assignment on studying and conveying human anatomy," Blossom replied half heartedly.

"Oh, I remember that one," The professor replied sympathetically, "Art was always a tough subject for me. Oh don't get me wrong, I liked to create things, but the teachers always had their own ideas about what was and wasn't art. They just didn't seem to understand that creativity is more organic than merely not messing up a contour or a shadow."

"Gee Professor, I didn't know you were interested in art," Blossom stated curiously.

"Oh I was, but ultimately science was my passion," Professor Utonium told her, "Art was more of a side hobby than anything else. Still, I fondly remember the works I made in my younger days. I especially loved sculpting and pottery. Do you know what you'll draw for your project?"

"I'm supposed to draw myself," Blossom replied, "But I don't want to. It's supposed to be _human_ anatomy, and I'm not sure I qualify as human."

"Honey, what makes you say that?" The professor asked in concern.

"Well look at me," Blossom replied as she held out her arms, "I'm not human. You made us in your lab out of spices and chemicals, and we look like bugs. We don't even have noses or ears! We're not human."

"We're not?" Bubbles asked, stopping mid-text at hearing that proclamation.

"Oh, she's just whining because she doesn't know how to do her project," Buttercup scoffed dismissively, "You know how she gets about her grades and stuff. Blossom is _so_ afraid that everyone will think she's stupid that it freaks her out to fail."

"Buttercup!" The professor reprimanded his daughter.

"It's okay Professor, she's right," Blossom admitted.

"Huh?" Buttercup wasn't sure she heard that correctly.

"It's true. I do care what everyone thinks of me. Sometimes I care too much," Blossom admitted, "I...I'm done with dinner. I'll wash my plate and then head upstairs, okay?"

"Um, sure sweetie, alright," The professor replied uncertainly, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Sure. I think I know what to do for my project now," Blossom told him as she floated away with her plate.

Blossom thought about dumping the leftover spaghetti in the trash, but realizing that it would be wasteful to do so, she ate the rest in the kitchen before doing her dishes and going upstairs. She sighed as she looked at the sketch pad still standing on the easel in the middle of the room. She was tired of playing safe, and she was tired of worrying what the rest of the world thought of her. There was more to Blossom than just being little miss perfect, and she was going to prove it.

* * *

The Gangreen Gang stood around under a bridge with spray cans in hand. There were a few homeless people sitting and laying around several feet away from the gang and near the river there were teenagers smoking and drinking. This parade of hopelessness and broken dreams seemed like the perfect place to find the Gangreen Gang.

Snake had the most talent of the gang members when it came to spray painting. He painted their gang's tag in blue, green, and gold spray paint. With so many new gangs trying to muscle in on Townsville the Gangreen Gang had to be sure to mark their territory whenever they could. After all, they might have to contend with the police and the Powerpuff Girls but there was no way they would allow themselves to be bested by a bunch of nobodies who thought they were hot stuff.

Big Billy of course often missed the point of these trips and rather than tag the wall he would just write something silly like _Graffiti_ or _I Drew This_ or _Hello_. He laughed at his latest 'masterpiece', which simply read _I Didn't Get Caught Painting This Again_. Lil' Arturo saw what Billy had painted and laughed along with him.

Grubber normally just tagged the walls with his own dialect's version of GGG or Gangreen Gang Rulez. This time, however, he craved a bit more artistic liberty, so he painted an elaborate self portrait that sectioned off different parts of him like a side of beef with detailed descriptions of what each part was and why it was wrong. He wrote things like Tongue: Too Long and Knees: Too Knockable. Ace sauntered over and saw what Grubber was doing, and couldn't stop his eyebrow from arching if he tried.

"Yo Grubber, what is that?" Ace asked as he pointed to the nearly finished art, "You normally ain't this...uh, I guess the word is _self-aware_. What gives?"

"Pfft pffbt," Grubber explained.

"Who's E.N.?" Was the only question Ace could think of after Grubber told Ace about the art project.

"Pbfft, pfft pfft pffbt. Pfft Pbbt," Grubber told Ace everything.

"Haha, you write _poetry_? Hahahahahaha!" Ace laughed heartily, and soon the gang walked over to see what Ace found so funny, "Hey guys, get this! Grubber writes poetry! Hahaha! Apparently he's got the ladies thinkin' he's some deep artistic soul! Hahaha!"

The others started laughing too, and Grubber got mad and shouted "Pfft pfft pfft!" When translated his raspberries meant "E.N.'s a little kid! Stop being a pervert!".

"Ooh, ooh, look at me, my name is Grubber, I have a bleeding heart and a butt of rubber!" Arturo mocked and laughed; ticking Grubber off even more.

" _Pfft_!" Grubber replied angrily as he balled his fists at his sides.

"Hey, hey, calm down Grubber. We're just messin' with ya," Ace replied after managing to calm himself down, "Seriously though, you're doin' this because a little girl had this project for homework. You just graffitied _homework_. Are you nuts?"

"Hey guysss! Copss are coming!" Snake warned everyone.

"Ah, crud. Let's amscray!" Ace shouted; which caused the Gangreen Gang to run past some sleeping bums and out of the bridge's shadow.

Grubber had nearly finished his painting before they had to leave, but he had forgotten to explain what was wrong with his feet. Oh well, next time, he thought.

* * *

The next day at school Blossom was both nervous and excited. It was time for the art projects to be presented in front of the class, and Jimmy was already showing off his self portrait and how he measured the composition of his head. Blossom thought as much of a blowhard as Jimmy was he'd need a truck stop scale to fully measure the size of his head.

"Alright then, up next is...Blossom Utonium," The teacher called for her project, and she gave a wincing smile; hoping she was ready for this.

Blossom stood before the class of mostly bored students, all of them certain this would be another one of Blossom's dry analytical pieces. Blossom took a deep breath and gathered her courage; ready to surprise the students and cement herself as free from her self-induced perfectionist paranoia.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the ultimate example of human anatomy," Blossom announced before holding up her drawing to display it before the class.

The teacher gasped, and the students burst into laughter when they saw what Blossom had drawn for her human anatomy composition; a perfectly executed portrait of an angry Mojo Jojo.

"As you can see from the bend of the elbow the joints can only move in two directions," Blossom continued as if she had not just presented a portrait of a monkey to her class, "The shoulders, however, have ball joints that are capable of a wide degree of motion. As you can see from the jawline only the lower jaw is capable of hinged movement since the upper jaw is a part of the rest of the head."

"Blossom Utonium!" The teacher shouted; interrupting her dissertation, "That is _not_ an example of human anatomy!"

"So? Neither am I," Blossom pointed out, "Now, may I continue?"

"No! Take your seat, Ms. Utonium!" The teacher demanded; red in the face from being mocked by who he assumed was his best student.

Blossom did as she was told and took her project back with her to her seat. Students that sat near her whispered that she did a great job and one boy even patted her on the back to congratulate her. Blossom felt awesome after that, because even though she knew she would get a failing grade she had stayed true to herself and didn't let the world's definition of normal define who she was as a person; human or not.


End file.
